When you need to play in high-volume situations, the integrated sound-hole reduces the build-up of energy inside the soundhole that often leads to uncontrollable howling. Made of a flexible elastomer, it requires no tools for installation and will not react with most finishes.

I have tried for years to get the sound of a acoustic guitar through a PA that duplicates the true sound of the guitar. I have tried everything, no matter the cost, just wanted it to sound electrified the way it sounds with no pickup. Finally-- it has happened, I still don't believe it has happened. I don't play out as much as I used to-but I still play out 5 or 6 times a month. If I could give this item 10 stars, I would. If it ever has a problem staying in- I will solve it, whatever it takes, because the sound is so natural.

The only problem I have with this pickup is that it falls into my strings when I move around (I have an old 1974 jumbo-body acoustic). My solution is to find some kind of tape (that will not damage the guitar finish).

The unique thing about this particular pickup is that it integrates a single coil pickup with a feedback reducer. To my knowledge, this is the first product of its kind and I'm sort of surprised that nobody has thought of this before.

The installation of the Neo-Buster was extremely easy. I didn't even have to remove the strings. Despite the fact that it would have been easier, I decided to slide the device underneath the strings and push it into the soundhole of my acoustic. It required a tiny bit of force. But, it was definitely not a herculean effort by any means. The whole process took me less than thirty seconds. It fit snugly. But it didn't require me to force it in. If I have to remove it, I can simply pull the pickup out just as quickly and easily. It didn't negatively affect the aesthetics of the guitar. Only time will tell if removal of the pickup mars the finish in any way. The best part is that I didn't have to modify the guitar in any way.

I have never been satisfied with magnetic acoustic pickups, in the past. To me, they always make the guitar sound too much like an electric. They tend to lose the subtle harmonics of an acoustic. Of course, this is a personal preference. This is one area of the Neo-Buster that I did like. It was a good compromise between acoustic and electric. It doesn't sound like a mic'ed acoustic or piezo pickup. But, it still retains enough of the acoustic timbre to be recognizable as an acoustic. I was able to play the guitar at higher volumes without any feedback. That was not the case with my previous pickup.

To summarize, I am pleased with the Fishman Neo-Buster. It isn't the best pickup out there. But, for the price it should be a welcome to addition for a frugal musician that needs a pickup for their acoustic guitar. I expect to see more of these in future open mics.Pros-inexpensive -integrated feedback reducer. First time that I've ever seen that-accurately reproduces an acoustic timbre (as close as a magnetic pickup can get)-no modifications to guitar-aesthetically pleasing. This is obviously a subjective thing.Cons-noisy. Comparable to a cheap single coil-Cord is too short-cord feels slightly flimsy and fragile-sometimes interferes with my strumming, since the pickup protrudes slightly. Not really a big issue, though. I had change my right hand technique slightly.-sound is more bass and mid heavy than a piezo. This is only a problem if you prefer the sound of a piezo.-muffles acoustic sound. Because of the feedback reducer, you have to remove this to play acoustically. This isn't a big deal if you're only using the guitar to play in amplified situations. But, it does muffle the sound when playing acoustically. This is obviously to be expected and a characteristic of any type of feedback reducer.